And short in English: This is a challenge open for everyone. If you want to participate and have a chance to win the prize *pointing upwards* you should make a project (layout, card, alter) with inspiration from the ad above. The twist is stitching - by hand, machine or faux - lot's of only one stitch - it's up to you. Make your project, publish it on your blog by 10/4 and link that post here. International participants are welcome. If you want more information, please say so, and I'll fill in the blanks!

It’s time for a Blog Party, hosted by the members of Allt om Scrap, a Swedish Forum.This is a little sneak peak of the challenge which I will launch on Monday. Right now, I’m with my parents celebrating their 40 year wedding anniversary. That’s HUGE!

It’s Friday and wow, does that feel good! It feels good to end a busy week and it sure feels good to play with The Character Cafe images again! Thank you all for participating in the Blog Hop last week! It was so much fun and all the sweet comments are kept close to my heart! It was my last Blog Hop with Character Cafe so it was really special. Next Hop will be the launch of not only new images, but a new Design Team. And maybe YOU will participate as one of the new designers? There is a DT call out HERE! This is one special team with the loveliest ladies EVER giving you the opportunity to work with awesome images, so do apply!!!

Back to the Feature Friday business! I’ll continue with the Holiday theme and cute, cute, cute Angelica. She comes in a set of four images. Three with sentiments, all Christmas related, and one image without sentiment – which make her really versatile since you could use her for any card really. Simply put a flower in her hair and voila! Who doesn’t love angels???

Thanks for popping by! Here are the links to the rest of the DT ladies and their Feature Friday projects.

8/26/2009

I got me a Doily Lace Edge Punch. Couldn’t resist it. At all. So from now on, some doily lace edges will appear on occasion. Like on this one….

I’ve been kind of into distress inked backgrounds lately. I don’t know if it’s the effect or the mess that I enjoy the most. Hehee… I really like how one can play with light and shadows, and the sprinkles of water gives such a neat look. All the stamps are from The Rubber Café and I have put some crackle accent on the tree and some black stickles on the bats and letters.

The design is based on the great sketch of the week over at Sketch Saturday.

*Edit: I got a question by mail about the water splashed background and it's really, really simple. Ink up a blank water color paper with distress ink by sponging the ink from the edges inwards. Use multiple colors in layers (as I've done here) or keep it monocromatic. When you have a colored piece of paper, simply wet your hand and splash some water drops on to the inked paper and let it dry.

Today I held the most confusing lecture ever. It’s not a good combination having a cold, eating migraine medicine and trying to keep up an intellectual conversation and a structured lecture. Poor students. Sometimes it might be better to cancel...

8/25/2009

…or Busfabriken (which is the Swedish name) must be like heaven on earth according to s0n. Hours of fun guaranteed, if you are like nine. If you are a little older, like parents often are, one is not as enthusiastic. But it’s fantastic to see the joy and all the energy that explodes once they enter the play room.

These photos are from last time when we were in Busfabriken, Norrköping with the cousins. I’ve used Pencil Lines sketch #149 and I challenged myself to use some of my stash. Except the Fancy Pants Kraft paper, everything else are scraps or the last brads or stickers from a sheet. Feels good – makes room for some new stuff…

8/24/2009

I’ve had some more fun with The Rubber Café Halloween stamps I got the other day. This pumpkin is one of three in the Pumpkin Face Mix-N-Match set. They come with scary faces, but I like them as is too. Kept it simple and I stitched a Happy Halloween monogram to match today’s challenge at 365 cards.

Good night! I’m off for bed hoping to be ok when I wake up cause tomorrow I not only HAVE to go to work, but also have a dentist appointment. That is much more scary than a pumpkin with a horrid face or anything else Halloween related can ever be!

8/23/2009

If you came here for The Character Cafe Blog Hop, you are at the right place. You can find the Blog Hop post HERE.

Sunday means a super sketch from Pam at 365 cards. I followed it pretty close. The pink colors came out a little strange, but I guess it’s the bad light. This is the one thing I’ve accomplished today. Except sneezing. I got a cold – again. I’m keeping my fingers crossed it’s a quick one. I don’t have time for this!

8/22/2009

…is approaching (well school did start this week which means summer is coming to an end – hence autumn – hence Halloween. Right???) and I’m having fun making Halloween cards.

This is the first card and there are more to come! The stamps are from The Rubber Café and on this card I used the set Where’s my treat Labrador which contains both the cute dog and the sentiment. The background is the spider web You need to dust. I masked the dog and double stamped the web on both stamped image piece and the background paper. To make the web look a little “wet” it is covered with thin lines of crackle accent. It gives a really neat effect.

The design of the card is inspired by this week’s sketch at Friday Sketchers. The challenge over at 365 cards is to layer stamps. Not mask but layer. Suits me FINE! I don’t have any Halloween patterned papers so I made my own.

8/21/2009

The August releases from The Character Cafe is here and that means Blog Hop Time! The blog hop gives you the opportunity to see all the new images in different projects done by the DT, the chance to win 4 images of YOUR choice and get a 30% discount on a purchase (good until Tuesday!) All you have to do to be able to win is follow through the Blog Hop, leave a comment at the blogs involved (see below) and become a follower.

This month I got adorable Ally in a Christmas outfit. She comes in a set with four different Christmas accessories and you can find her HERE. It was pure joy to bring out my Christmas stuff again and I went a little crazy with the stickles. But I think Ally deserves a little bling in her life!

You are near the end of the hop and if you didn’t come here from Billie you might want to start from the beginning. There will be a FREEBIE along the road! To end the Blog Hop you shall go to The Character Cafe Blog. And to get the 30% off your purchase, you need to enter this code: 58620271

8/20/2009

Today is the day dear son heads back to school and third grade. He has promised me to let me take a few photos. “Like ONE, mum!” Well since I want a ZILLION, well see what comes out of that… I woke up ridiculously early this morning and decided to finish the card I got started yesterday using the sketch of the week over at Sketch Saturday. I also incorporated the challenge of using three different ways of typing my sentiment over at 365 cards.

It’s another thank you card.

Well, I think I need to give dear son some breakfast before our photo session. Might make him a little bit less grumpy. Hehehe…

8/19/2009

A friend of the family got married in July and my parents were invited to the wedding. They weren’t able to go but they were invited to a dinner later instead. Mum asked me to help out with the present, three fine bottle of wine with three different time frames (they are to be opened in one, five and ten years). I got the wine and made three tags in like no time at all. The tags are made in the shape of a tie (thought it was suitable since they are both men) and used the colors of the wine bottles.

Since I had a photo of the wedding, I thought it would be nice for them to remember how young (well, in comparison) and innocent they looked back then when they drink it in ten years… LOL! It’s one hurried work, but the happy couple liked it so I guess it’s ok.

Well, this is a timed post so keep your fingers crossed I made it work. I think I’m a fairly competent woman, but geeesh, sometimes I simply freak out on the computer stuff.

8/18/2009

This is the card kit from Mackenzie Mae Designs that I found in my mailbox yesterday. I can tell you it has been itching all day to get home start using it!

But the challenge today at 365 cards turned out to be a really difficult one. A trio card with: Triangle – button – sticker. Well the button part is fine, but triangles and buttons???? I must say that my stash really lacks stickers. But I found some corners from last months A Page in Time kit that fit the colors of my fab Scenic Route and Cosmo Cricket papers.

I have had this stamp for a while, got it for nothing at a second hand sale and I bought it with this special person in mind. Finally I got the card done. Now I only have to wait for her next period of serious chocolate cravings before I send it….

8/17/2009

I had one though day at work. Loads to do, but when I got home I found a package filled with goodies from Mac Mae Card Kits. I’m amazed! I won a drawing at 365 cards and wow, what a prize! Can’t wait to start playing with it! Tomorrow!

Today, the challenge at 365 cards was to make something else but a card that will work as a card. I made a gift box (filled with the best of chocolate), a Thank You gift box. And I used Kazan’s sketch 33 at 2Sketches4You.

I did a card too. Had the scrap papers and I decided I wanted some more writing that wouldn’t fit on a tag on this Thank you gift for a special person.

8/16/2009

…was really short, only three days. But it was also fantastic. Only me and my son and the big city. And it’s amazing how much one can fit in. I’ve already used some (or most) of these pics on a double. But that one was for my son’s album. This one is for me. My vacation. I wrote down twenty things I loved about our vacation and the hard part was to choose.

The page is based on the fab sketch #87 at Got Sketch?. Valerie Salmon makes the most amazing sketches – often with multi pics. Love them! Specially now, since I’ve started to learn how to print out my own photo collages on photo shop. Scheeze… It only took me like two years…

Today it’s Super Sketchy Sunday at 365 cards and the sketch is another fab one from Pam. I made a tri fold card – the sketch screamed out TRI FOL CARD! I also made it a thank you card (need to thank quite a few people) for the A Passion for Papertrey challenge.

Off to make dinner! And to through another couple of pages of my hubby’s dissertation to be in the hunt of misspelling. I have a red pen and make HUGE marks in the margin. Feel like an old fashioned school teacher… And it gets to him… I think it’s the red color… Hehehe…

8/15/2009

Toile - the challenge of today at 365 cards - was a new word for me, but after a google tour it’s become a new favorite! I made my own patterned toile paper out of a fabric pattern I found on the internet. The birds are one of the new stamps from Artistic Outpost and I also used my old hello Friend stamp from PTI. I need some new sentiment stamps. BAD! Not that I don’t totally love it, but scheeze, I’ve used it like a trillion times already.

Since it still is the Art Glitter Week over at 365 cards, I added a hint of cinnamon stickles on the flowers. I should have used the diamond one, but when I decided on the cinnamon, it felt like a good idea…

I’m also entering this in the Pink Elephant challenge which is all about Brown, Turquoise and Neutral colors this week.

Today is cleaning the house day. Not my favorite day of the week, I must say. Hope the rest of you have more pleasant plans for the weekend!

8/14/2009

The challenge today at 365 cards is to make a card looking like a present. Suits me really, really fine since my son is going on a birthday party tonight. So a birthday card looking like a birthday present it is.

In tribute to the “Art Glitter Week” I’ve used some green stickles , but it doesn’t show that very well on the photo. Dear son liked the result so I guess I should be happy with it.

Hi ladies and occasional male! Hope your week has been a good one! Mine has! It’s Friday and that means it’s time for me and the rest of the DT gals to use the cute digi images from The Character Cafe.

This week I’ve played with Ziggy Bee from the July Releases. I’ve been hiding some of my favorite BG Urban Prairie paper in my stash but at once I had colored Ziggy, I knew it would be perfect. I love the little flowers! I printed the image twice and cut an extra flower out and put it on a 3D to get some dimension effect.

Colleen is hosting the Work it Wednesday challenge this week with a sparkling theme – GLITTER! And don’t we all love some sparkle in our lives??? You find her great tutorial for an awesome card AND the challenge HERE!

8/10/2009

Well, the mail spirits are not very nice to me. My stamps are most probably collecting dust at Swedish Customs while they are planning a horrid revenge for trying to sneak past the borders without paying taxes. Boohoo for me and BOOHOO for Swedish Customs (or whoever is playing games with me).

Lucky I have one occasional stamp (or two) already. The task at 365 cards today is masking. Masking is a technique I like. A lot. And use. A lot. In this card I used my new Timster mask (hehe, you see, I learn fast Michelle!) and I masked a couple of stamps and masked my mask. LOL!

To celebrate the Art Glitter Week at 365 cards, I added some stickles to my Hero Arts stamp.

Now I’m off to prepare for the conference I’m going to tomorrow. It will be fun, a fancy hotel, fantastic food and spa facilities… BUT no scrapping… Guess I have to keep my addiction under control a couple of days. Take care!

My assignment for the newsletter in August at APiT is to present the sketches of the month. We have our own fabulous sketch designer who provides us with three awesome double page sketches every month. Here is my take of one of them, using the Oh so fantastic Dream Street Papers’ Urban Ink.

This is another page from our Stockholm trip. We went to the Museum of Technology and had a BLAST!

Off for work! Keep your fingers crossed that I get the mail I’ve been waiting for forever today! If I do, I will for sure stamp something tonight!

8/09/2009

I know some of you on occasion have really late nights by your scrap desk. I don’t. I have really early mornings by mine. Today I woke up 04.45 am. I gave up 20 minutes later and sat by my desk within ten minutes. Tonight I’ll be tired by eight but who cares, I made a layout AND a card today. Yay for me!

I started with a layout since the 365 cards wasn’t to be posted until an hour or two later. I’ve had the theme in my head for a couple of days and I found a great sketch at Mojoholder ( a new and very nice acquaintance). This is about my son right now, how he feels, what he likes and what he dislikes.

I was asked a couple of days ago if I stamp on my layouts, and I said yes but realized it was quite some time ago I did that. Now was the time.

Over to the card, the Sunday Sketch at 365 cards. Beautiful sketch as always. My own challenge today was to use the scrap paper from my layout and stamps I rarely use. And I like how it came out. I have ONE Tim Holtz stamp set and I’ve used it like three times. How sad is that?

8/08/2009

The challenge today at 365 cards is to make a card with NO blank space. This was fun, I found a gorgeous sketch at the Basic Grey challenge blog with loads of layers that was perfect for this task. I used Basic Grey brads on this, but I don’t really know if that counts… Doesn’t matter, I’m only happy that the Basic Grey challenge has been relaunched! Anyhow, this is how my card turned out.

Sukkersött’s challenge this week is to make a gift bag and use a button and some twine. The DT work totally blew me off my feet (go check them all OUT) and THIS one by Lena Katrine is one to return to again and again. Well I decided I’d participate for the first time. But I must say it was hard after seeing all the amazing work so I decided to keep it really simple.

I love the shape of the Pack a Picnic template from PTI so I simply put some Basic Grey paper on it and glued down a flower with a button on it. I’ll give it to a friend in a couple of minutes filled with chocolate. She has a soar neck and is in pain. A gal could use some chocolate then, right!

Well, I’m off getting my son from a friend of his and give away my little gift. Have a beautiful Saturday afternoon!

8/07/2009

Howdy folks! Hope you have had a great week, enjoying the last month of summer! It’s time for The Character Café’s Feature Friday and this week I’ve worked with the cutest little kitten ever. The image is called Gift Giver Kitt-E and is part of the July releases and can be found HERE.

She is so cute, and there are so many details on this, that I wanted to keep the rest of the card pretty clean. She is colored with Copic markers and I still have a lot to learn when comes to these. And I’m for sure enjoying myself when at it!

If you want a chance to win this image, or any of The Character Cafe image of your choice, you should join Shelley at the TCC blog for a ribbon challenge. It runs until Tuesday so you’ve got plenty of time (and it can also be combined with any other challenge out in blog land!) There is a Guest DT spot in the hat too!

I made one for fun and combined it with today’s 365 card challenge. I’ve used another of TCC’s July releases, the gorgeous sunflower. I’ve used it before, but not one of the sunflowers with sentiment (there are four images included, three with sentiments, one with only the sunflower).

8/06/2009

I think today’s challenge at 365 cards is the toughest so far. Making an indoor scene. Well, I don’t know if that is what I’ve done, but I did try. I’ve had this vintage photo in my stash for a couple of weeks. LOVE IT! LOL!

And I did a layout yesterday. Well I’m not sure, but I love the photo and the story, so I think I’ll settle with that.

This is my dear son (to the left) and one of his best friends. They have invented a new sport. Cap Ball. They are proud and convinced they will win the “invent a new sport competition” hosted by a popular children’s TV program in the task to find a sport in which Sweden will be able to dominate the world scene (since we are lousy in all existing sports). They sat for an hour writing a mail explaining the sport and now they wait. Well, here is the page.

8/05/2009

…with my hÄnglar stamps… LOL! But I did let them rest for like three weeks. Well, today I’m home with the flu. It’s awful. Feel free to feel sorry for me. Hehee. Besides feeling sorry for myself (I’m quite good at that), I’ve managed to keep myself occupied with easy tasks and making a card.

What’s your sign? is the challenge today at 365 cards. So a sign it is. I’ve also used the sketch of the week over at CPS.

There is a new great tutorial and challenge (with digi images and Guest DT spot in the hat) posted at The Character Cafe blog by Shelley. She is one handy lady with ribbons! Hope to see you there!

8/03/2009

The second paper line in the August Kit from A Page in Time is Dream Street Papers, Sam. Beautiful double sided thick papers! I used them to make a double about our walk in Old City of Stockholm. Everything used is included in the August kit.

I made a quick card this morning inspired by the ad challenge at 365 cards. I colored the image a week ago or so, when I got my new copics, so now I only had to put it together. At once I saw the ad, I knew that this bouquet of flowers was perfect.

8/02/2009

It’s day 155 at 365 cards and it’s Sunday which means a fabulous sketch as the challenge of the day. I kept it simple, and I kept it pink. Felt pink today. Again. As I do most days. LOL! Pink and distressed.

Is an AWESOME one! It contains two fresh Dream Street Papers lines; Sam and Urban Ink and AdornIt Fern collection. You can see the full kit HERE. I'll work with all three this month, but I started with the AdornIt papers since they were too nice to keep on hold. LOL!

I did a quick card with some of the scrap papers and cute sticker sheet. It also fits the day 153 Tag, You’re it challenge at 365 Cards. It’s Readers appreciation week there with fun challenges by some of the blog readers and fab inspiration from them and the DT.

And the strangest things happen, the button which is brown in real life, have this pinkish orange strange color on the photo. Doesn’t look that great…

We came back from Stockholm yesterday and we were dead tired. It was an amazing mini vacation with a lot of sightseeing and fun. We went to Gröna Lund for a rollercoaster ride – spent 7 hours there. We won 2 kg of chocolate… But I think the best part of our trip was Tekniska museet (the museum of Technology) J built a bridge, we saw an amazing 4 D movie about flying (the effect of moving chairs, splashing water, 3D effects of the movie and the smells was fantastic!).

The same troubles as always with taking photos on my son occurred… Here are a couple of shots from a walk in the old city: